You are preparing for the Cisco CCNP R&S certification exams, and you are wondering how to make the best of your self-preparation, right? You do not have to despair; there are many professionals who have gone through the same process and have been certified. All you need to do is know the right steps to take towards preparing for the certification examination, and be ready to take them effectively.
The Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) credential is intended for IT professionals to train them on how to plan, implement, and maintain Cisco’s top range network solution products. The CCNP R&S certification is a more comprehensive study when compared to the CCNA course. It is one level of the eight domains of expertise offered by Cisco. This certification helps to validate a candidate’s skills and competence on managing and implementing Cisco high-end products.
Of course, passing the examination is not an easy task. It requires a lot of work and dedication to be able to study the materials and be ready to sit for the certification exam. There are many resources you need to go through to be adequately prepared for the test. To help you in your journey towards preparing for the certification exam, we have put together some tips & tricks. Following these tips will significantly increase your success rate at the CCNP R&S certification exam.
- Go through the CCNA Course again
First and foremost, it is very important that you go over the basics of the CCNA course again in preparation for the CCNP certification exam. This is because the Cisco Certified Network Professional credential is built on the CCNA concepts. The topics are the same, only that the CCNP treats a wider scope of them. No matter how well you think you know your CCNA topics, it is very essential that you revisit them again. Going through the topics will help you refresh your skills, knowledge, and competence that are demonstrated during the CCNA certification exam.
- Be strategic about your study: Study per topic
It is very easy to memorize your course materials with the hope of offloading it during the exam. Well, this will not work with the CCNP R&S certification examination. The course is not something you can memorize. You need to study and understand each of the topics, as well as the sub-topics in a comprehensive manner. It goes beyond reading from cover to cover. You must make conscious effort to understand each topic and be able to apply them. You should make it a standard during your study to assess your knowledge base about each topic. For every topic you study, you need to take some times out to assess your understanding about the scope of it before you move to the next one. It is highly important that you evaluate your skills and knowledge on each topic you study on a practical level so that you can focus on your weak areas as you continue your study.
- Go the extra mile
Of course, the resource materials for the CCNP certification are extensive but you still need to read beyond the official course books for this credential. There are many online forums and Cisco blogs that offer essential information that will enhance your knowledge scope and skills on the course. You can join the forums and follow the blogs to get the latest news about networking updates. You can also go to YouTube to check some course videos or visit some resource websites where you can get video training courses. The wealth of resources available to you on the CCNP R&S certification is unimaginable. All you have to do is dig a little deeper, and you will be surprised at the amount of help you will get.
- Use practice exams
Taking practice test is very important to your success in the certification exam. By taking the practice exam, you are able to know your strength areas, as well as your weak areas. This will enable you to know where to dedicate more time during your study. There are many options of getting practice exam from online resources. PrepAway, for instance, offers you Exam Testing Engine (ETE) which is very helpful in your preparation process.
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- Get your hands dirty
This is another way of saying you need to get practical knowledge about the certificate. If you have taken the CCNA certification exam, you will understand the standard that has been set already. It is not about theoretical knowledge. You need to have practical knowledge about the course you are being tested on. It is very critical that you have hands-on experience on all the topics of the certification. You must take several practice exams and also get your hands busy in your Cisco CCNP R&S lab to understand the CCNP devices. Having both the right knowledge and experience will surely guarantee your success in the CCNP certification examination.
- Plan your exams
The CCNP R&S certification has three distinct modules namely, 300-101 ROUTE, 300-115 SWITCH, and 300-135 TSHOOT. You can choose how you want to write the exams. It doesn’t matter which comes first; you just need to plan your time and study to be able to take all three within a reasonable time. According to CCIE experts, it is essential that you take the module that you find easy among the three. Passing a module will boost your confidence for the other two modules. It is very crucial that you plan the sequence in which you will write the exam well ahead of your preparation and writing the test. This will enable you plan your study adequately so that you can have a productive study time.
Conclusion
You need to keep a calm head all through the period of the exam. Getting nervous will not do you much good as you need a perfect and calm mind to successfully write your certification examination. There are resources available that will help you in your preparation, so you do not have to be stranded at any point. Connect with other exam takers and CCIE experts, and let them take you through any area of the modules that is not clear to you. They will also help you with more tips on passing the CCNP R&S certification exams.
